Cavernous Coffee Cafe

Riverview Café is the biggest coffee house I’ve ever been in. You walk in the door and get this wonderful feeling of space. That’s rare in coffee shops. The owner, David Bernick, told me that’s the advantage of owning the building. But it’s also a matter of design. Nature abhors a vacuum and, in my case, if I see an empty space, I have to put a piece of furniture in it. As for the Riverview Café, the neighborhood seems to flow in and out in waves, filling the nooks and crannies with smiling faces and happy sounds.

This is obviously the neighborhood hangout for a lot of families in this part of South Minneapolis. There’s a whole section of the café that is a play area for kids. The parents all seemed to know each other, mingling and sharing stories and coffee. And for those who bring their laptop, there’s free wifi. The coffee is all organic-free trade from a family owned company of importers and roasters out of Duluth.

But is there anything to eat here, you ask? There’s pastry to have with your morning coffee, but I was intrigued by one of the lunch offerings. They have soup and sandwiches for the lunch crowd and one of those sandwiches is called The Riverview Special: Turkey, salami, pepperjack cheese and ancho-chili spread on striata bread from a local French bakery. Like I said, intriguing.

But I think my favorite thing about this place is that it sits next to the Riverview Wine Bar. And since the liquor license covers the entire building, when the weekend entertainment is in full swing at the coffee shop (which usually is live Blues, Jazz or Bluegrass), I can go next door, get a beer or bottle of wine, and bring it back to the coffee shop to relax and enjoy with the music! Is that cool or what?

Riverview Café also has a small lounge area in the back for small groups or meetings. On the walls you can find works displayed by local artists. Each month a new artist is featured. The café is at 3747 42nd Ave S. in Minneapolis, kitty-corner from the Riverview Theater. They are open M-Th 6:30am – 10:30pm, Friday 6:30am – 11pm, Sat. 7am – 11pm, and Sunday 7am – 8pm. Please call 612-722-7234 for more information.

>>Profile Page
>>Web Site

© 2004 - 2011 Twin Cities Dining Guide, LLC, Minneapolis, MN 763-591-9087 | Built by Net Dynasty | Designed by Blue Over Blue